The present invention relates generally to headgear, for example, caps and visors, and more particularly to headgear having a bill which permits exhibition of displays thereon.
Headgear, including caps and visors, have been in use for quite some time to display company logos, special events, messages, or just general advertisements. The exhibition of these displays have mostly been on the front of the cap or visor, and in particular, in the crown area of the cap or headband area of visor adjacent the forehead of the wearer, where the fabric is sufficiently soft to permit, for instance, embroidering, sewing or attachment of the display. Displays have also been provided at the back of the cap, for example, on the adjustable headband or the crown area immediately above it, since these areas are also sufficiently soft to permit embroidering, sewing or attachment of the display. To a certain extent, some of the displays have been provided on the bill of the cap or visor. Such displays, however, have mostly been embroidered or sewn on to the soft fabric covering the bill and not to the bill itself. One reason which may have prevented the display from being sewn or embroidered directly through the bill may be because most bills, being made from hard plastic or cardboard, are too stiff to permit sewing or embroidering of displays. Many commercially available caps and visors are designed to include a bill that is sufficiently stiff to permit the bill to maintain its shape when the cap or visor is worn. Such a bill may be adequate for many purposes and may be desirable in many situations. However, a stiff bill typically does not permit a display to be easily attached or embroidered therethrough.
The exhibition of displays on the bill of the headgear may also be an expensive procedure. In particular, as the fabric around the stiff bill has already been stretched tightly over the bill, manufactures cannot use the existing headgear in their warehouses, as is, to embroider the display onto the fabric around the bill. Instead, in one practice, the entire bill or the fabric over the entire bill must be removed, the display embroidered on to a new piece of fabric, and subsequently the bill be re-covered with the newly embroidered fabric. This process can be avoided if the headgear manufacturers is given sufficient notice. With notice, the manufacturers can modify the manufacturing process to accommodate the embroidering of the display onto the piece of fabric prior to covering the bill. Such modification of the hat making process, however, may require the fabric around the bill to be set aside for the embroidering, which again can be time consuming and may add unwanted expenses to the production of the headgear. As is more often than not, the amount of the order may not justify modification of the normal headgear manufacturing process. Accordingly, for those organizations wishing to have their logos, messages, or special events exhibited on the bill, unless the they can foresee a sufficient return on the sales of the headgear with such displays, many will forego the exhibition of the display on the bill of the headgear.
The present invention, in accordance with one embodiment, provides a headgear, for example, a visor or a cap which can exhibit displays, such as company logos, special events, messages, or just general advertisements. The headgear, as provided, can include a band for placement circumferentially about a head of a person. The headgear can also include a bill portion having distal end and a proximal end, which proximal end is attached to the band. The bill, in an embodiment of the invention, includes an insert made from a material that is sufficiently soft and flexible. By providing an insert of soft, flexible material, the bill is provided with an area that is sufficiently pliable to permit a display to be sewn, embroidered, or attached therethrough, while permitting the remainder of the bill to maintain its shape. The headgear may also include a crown portion defining a hat for placement on to the head of a person. The crown portion is preferably provided with a lower substantially circular periphery to which the band may be attached. As the head size may vary from person to person, the headgear of the present invention may include a band which permits adjustment of its circumference, so as to accommodate different size heads.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of exhibiting a display on a headgear is provided. The method may included providing a headgear having a headband and a bill portion that is attached at its proximal end to the headband. The bill portion, in one embodiment, includes an insert made from a soft flexible material. Subsequently, a display may be secured through the flexible insert on to the bill portion of the headgear either by embroidering, sewing or attaching, for instance, with a pin. Alternatively, only the bill portion of the headgear having the flexible insert is initially provided, to which the display is embroidered or sewn through the flexible insert. Thereafter, the bill portion is attached at its proximal end to the band. In either of these embodiments, a crown portion defining a hat and having a lower periphery may be provided for attachment to the band along the periphery.
In a further embodiment for exhibiting a display on a headgear, a headgear is provided with a crown portion and a bill portion attached at its proximal end to the crown portion. The bill portion, in one embodiment, includes an insert made from a soft flexible material. Subsequently, a display may be secured through the flexible insert on to the bill portion of the headgear either by embroidering, sewing or attaching with, for instance, a pin. In an alternate embodiment, only the bill portion of the headgear having the flexible insert is initially provided, to which the display is embroidered or sewn through the insert. Thereafter, the bill portion is attached at its proximal end to the crown portion.